Jeremy Corbyn’s old friends at Hamas have landed him in hot water again after issuing an adulatory press statement“saluting” Corbyn’s “solidarity message” at the ‘Nakba’ march last weekend. As Guido reported earlier this week, the march was addressed by multiple Labour frontbenchers including Richard Burgon and Diane Abbott. Despite being ridden with anti-Semitism, as it is every year…
Despite still being a patron of the anti-Semitism infested Palestine Solidarity Campaign who organised the march, Corbyn didn’t attend himself this year but got Diane Abbott to read his message to the crowd instead. Clearly it hit the right notes with Hamas, the terrorist organisation’s response is positively gushing:
“We have received with great respect and appreciation the solidarity message sent by the British Labor Party Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to the participants in the mass rally that took place in central London last Saturday in commemoration of the 71st anniversary of Nakba…
“We also salute Mr. Jeremy Corbyn for his principled position in rejecting the so-called Trump Plan for the Middle East or the ‘Deal of the Century’…”
He should really send Seumas to have a word with Hamas about sending their compliments privately in future…
Several members of the Shadow Cabinet spent their Saturday attending a central London ‘Palestinian solidarity’ rally, run by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign which was recently exposed as being ridden with anti-Semitism. Labour frontbenchers Laura Pidcock, Richard Burgon, and Diane Abbott spoke at the rally where protesters spread conspiracies from ‘Israel controlling the media’ to ‘Israel is responsible for anti-Semitic abuse’. Although it is possible that Richard Burgon didn’t notice, after all he tweeted support for the Palestine rally with the Jordanian flag…
The march was led down Regent Street by a man who claimed Jews in Israel “owns the banks and the media” and that “Israel did 9/11.” Don’t expect any condemnations from Labour MPs any time soon – Jeremy Corbyn is still patron of the PSC…
The BBC’s Emma Barnett took Shadow Justice Minister Richard Burgon to task over his rant against ‘Zionists’ that he tried to deny he delivered. Last month it was revealed that he lied about not saying it, and now he’s doubling down by trying to claim he didn’t lie. There was a time where this behaviour would provide a one way ticket out of the shadow cabinet, but apparently not under Jeremy Corbyn…
Richard Burgon is facing an appeal against his “Nazi imagery”libel victory against The Sun after video footage revealed he had been less than honest under oath over whether he had said “Zionism is the enemy”. This is the man who would be in charge of the Courts if Labour win an election…
Even though Burgon’s own band was absolved of using “Nazi imagery”, Guido has learned that Burgon is said to be a fan of a metal band called ‘Sacred Reich’. Metal bands often have daft names but ‘Sacred Reich’ is a big step beyond that. Burgon’s predilection towards Sacred Reich was also highlighted by Vice last year:
Labour are refusing to comment as to whether this is true, arguing that Vice is not a reliable source and there is no direct quote from Burgon. Awkward in these circumstances…
Readers will recall that Richard Burgon won a court case in January against The Sun. It was over a story they ran that claimed that his heavy metal band used “Nazi imagery”. The Sun argued in mitigation that there was a public interest in this issue because of the issue of Labour’s problem with anti-semitism and Burgon’s potential attitude towards Jews. Exploring the issue he was questioned in Court in reference to the same 2016 Mail article which Andrew Neil questioned him about regarding the claim he’d said “Zionism is the enemy of peace”.
The exchange went as follows:
Lawyer: “Justice spokesman Richard Burgon has urged MPs and 17 party members to quit the Labour Friends of Israel group, declaring Zionism is the enemy of peace.” That’s what the article says?
RB: That’s what the article says, yes.
Lawyer: My question to you was is that right? Did you —
RB: At the time — I believe you wrote to the Daily Mail asking when it was alleged I said this, what event in what year, and they couldn’t say. I’ve answered this question on the television as well. It’s not my view.
I think — I mean, it’s — what is important to understand is that just as all Jewish people don’t — aren’t Zionists, also there’s differences between the political strands which I define as Zionism. So, for example, when I met Israeli MPs in the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, we met Israeli MPs from different parties who would describe themselves as Zionists who had different political views. I’ve always been clear, however, that the current Prime Minister of Israel and his policies, Benjamin Netanyahu, I believe his policies are a block to a two-state outcome. But we at the time asked when I was meant to have said this, and they could provide no response to this allegation
(Legal discussion )
Lawyer: Just last time, did you say it, yes or no? Did you say what’s reported here; just yes or no, and then I will move on.
RB: I have answered the question already in detail.
Lawyer: I’m not sure you have, Mr Burgon.
Except it clearly was his view.
Burgon is a trained lawyer and a Shadow Justice minister. His clear evasiveness and failure to give a direct answer suggests in retrospect that he knew that the Mail’s story was right and realised they had no hard evidence. Meaning, he calculated, that if he avoided giving a definitive answer he would be off the hook on this crucial point. Hence his failure to give a yes or no answer. The Sun are appealing the ruling and Burgon’s failure to answer this question, together with his denial which he now admits was not true, means that his evidence was not true. For a would-be Justice Minister to be giving false sworn testimony in Court is extraordinary…
Richard Burgon has released a statement after being caught bang to rights lying about whether he had said “Zionism is the enemy of peace”. Instead of apologising for lying on national TV, the Shadow Justice Secretary, also a qualified solicitor, tries to weasel out of it in a comically contrived way:
“I believed it was inaccurate to have claimed that I had used that phrase. It is now clear that I did and I regret doing so.”
In normal times a Shadow Cabinet Minister would have to apologise profusely for repeatedly lying to the public and seriously consider their position. Instead Corbyn is just allowing bungling Burgon to go blustering on…
Awkward questions for Richard Burgon to answer. He repeatedly denied to Andrew Neil saying that “Zionism is the enemy of peace” and said over and over that he wouldn’t have said that because it’s not his view. Here he is expressing his view that “Zionism is the enemy of peace”. He also says Zionists are the enemy of Palestinians.Brillo gave him every opportunity to correct the record, instead Burgon lied…
Hat-tip: video uncovered by Iggy Ostanin, @magnitsky
Richard Burgon has won his libel case against The Sun for an article which claimed that his heavy metal band used “Nazi imagery”. A “delighted” Burgon has been awarded a healthy £30,000 in damages. Burgon says he will use it to fund a paid justice internship for a young person from Leeds…
The Sun have put out a statement saying they are “deeply disappointed” by the judgement and are planning to appeal:
Perhaps the only thing more predictable about a socialist government than brutal crackdowns on civil liberties and economic collapse is the UK’s hard left coming out in solidarity with it. Sure enough, the usual suspects are out in force in the Guardian, with numerous senior Labour MPs including John McDonnell, Diane Abbott, Richard Burgon, Chris Williamson and Clive Lewis co-signing a letter along with Owen Jones condemning the “US attempt at regime change” in Venezuela and instead calling for “dialogue”. Classic…
Never mind the fact that it’s millions of ordinary Venezuelans who are taking to the streets to demand regime change after seeing their lives ruined by the crippling socialist policies of successive dictators Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro – obviously they’re just part of a grand “far right” US conspiracy which must be resisted to keep Maduro in place.
At least they’ve got some renowned moral authorities on their side, the letter was also signed by antisemitism scandal-ridden Pete Willsman and the disgraced Ken Livingstone. When you’re on Ken Livingstone’s side of history you know you’re on the wrong one…
UPDATE:Labour MP Angela Smith has condemned the letter as a “disgrace”, as well as the fact that Baroness Massey’s name was wrongly attached to the letter.
UPDATE II:Labour peer Baroness Massey insists her name was wrongly included in the list. “I disassociate myself from this letter,” she told PoliticsHome, “I know nothing about it. My name is Doreen E Massey and I’ve never heard of this letter – it’s nothing to do with me. They have pursued this in a very unprofessional way. It’s crazy.”
Richard Burgon has become the latest senior Labour figure to forget what Labour’s six so-called ‘Brexit tests’ are and make up a completely unrelated set on the spot. Guido is surprised that broadcasters don’t challenge the shadow Cabinet on what they are more often since they love to bring them up in debate but none seem to have a clue what they actually are. At least he made up the right number, unlike his boss…
Richard Burgon has been caught out by TalkRADIO‘s Ross Kempsell attempting to deny that he stood on his feet and clapped Labour MP Laura Smith’s call last night to organise a general strike to “bring an end to this government.” There hasn’t been a general strike in the UK since 1926, and now hard left Labour MPs are openly talking of direct action to bring down the government.
But here he is on video doing just that. Not a good idea to be telling porkies when there is video evidence to the contrary…
UPDATE: Richard Burgon clarifies“I did not give Laura Smith an ovation. I stood up and clapped.”
Multiple Labour fringe events are to be addressed by the union boss who suggested the Labour anti-Semitism row was ‘created’ by Israel.
“Now I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I’ll tell you what – one of the best forms of trying to hide from the atrocities that you are committing is to go on the offensive and to actually create a story that does not exist for people on this platform, the trade union movement or, I have to say, for the leader of the Labour Party.”
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS Union, who publicly insinuated anti-semitism is “a story that does not exist” in the Labour Party, will be speaking at:
Labour MPs tonight joined a pro-Assad rally alongside protesters with flags, hats and scarves bearing the face of the Syrian tyrant. Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon, Chris Williamson, Emma Dent Coad and Lloyd Russell-Moyle were among those present at this evening’s Stop the War demo at Parliament Square. Williamson told an audience waving pro-Corbyn placards and communist flags that there was no evidence for the Douma chemical attack and that Assad had no motive to carry it out. Echoing Kremlin talking points, Williamson said:
“Why would the Assad regime at this stage of the appalling conflict in Syria, where he’s virtually won the battle for Eastern Ghouta, launch a chemical weapons attack when it would be bound to bring on the wrath of the West? … The motive is questionable, the evidence – where is the evidence? It just isn’t there. And it’s no coincidence, it seems to me, that on the day before the OPCW inspectors were due to start their inspection, these air strikes took place. What is going on? There are very serious questions, it seems to me, that need to be answered.”
One Assad supporter told Guido said the Syrian leader had not done anything illegal and that it was the UK parliament that was acting illegally. He added his message to Jeremy Corbyn was “well done”.
— BBC Daily Politics and Sunday Politics (@daily_politics) March 28, 2018
Labour clown Richard Burgon still slogging away with the ridiculous line that Corbyn looked at the racist mural “on the move on a smart phone” so didn’t realise it was anti-Semitic. Corbyn specifically referenced the contents of the mural in his now infamous Facebook comment. Does anyone believe this blatant untruth?
Labour dunce Richard Burgon had a tough weekend. The Corbynista simpleton began by appearing once again on Putin mouthpiece Russia Today, a baffling decision particularly for someone with the justice brief. Then he warned “what risks faith in democracy is political class as a club”, forgetting that he is only an MP because his uncle Colin was too. He then attacked Hillary Clinton for hugging George W. Bush, not realising the photo was taken at Nancy Reagan’s funeral:
As John Woodcock put it:
Like uncles getting helping their nephews get seats, or different to that? Leave off twisting photos taken at funerals eh
Top Corbynista Richard Burgon was the main guest on Russia Today‘s current affairs discussion programme Going Underground this week where he spent ten minutes bashing the state of British prisons. Naturally not one word of criticism was offered against the Russian prison system, which is notoriously brutal, oppressive and has received widespread condemnation by human rights organisations. This year Amnesty International said that torture and ill-treatment are “widespread and systematic” in Russian prisons, and that inmates suffered from neglect including a lack of proper medical care. Russia is almost at the bottom of the Rule of Law Index. Must have slipped his mind…
This morning’s ridiculous Today appearance makes you wonder why Labour put their dunce Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon up for interviews. Burgon refused four times to deny that Labour would back illegal strikes which could cripple Britain this winter. He fudged each time, refusing to rule out a Corbyn-backed winter of discontent. He said Labour stands for a “return to the employment practices of the 1970s…”
Then the clown refused six times to say if Labour needs a second deputy leader position. Rumours have swirled about a Corbynista plot to tame Watson by creating a parallel deputy leader role for Emily Thornberry under the guise of gender equality. They certainly provide equal opportunities for idiots…
This audience member challenges Richard Burgon, claiming that he “lives in a Westminster bubble” and “doesn’t know the real world” #bbcqtpic.twitter.com/hlvZfucxAb
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) 6 July 2017
Terminally awkward Richard Burgon had a shocker on last night’s Question Time. First he was heckled by an audience member who accused Labour of putting the public sector ahead of job-creating employers. Then he was laughed into silence when he attempted to argue that Labour campaigned “passionately” in the EU referendum. Classic Burgon moments. Even Rebecca Long-Bailey would have done better…
Labour’s Richard Burgon was questioned on Guido’s story about the disturbing placards at yesterday’s Corbynista rally on the Sunday Politics. In response Burgon claimed there were 150,000 people at the demo. The Mirror says 10,000 attended, the Times says 10,000 attended, the BBC reports 15,000 attended.[…] Read the rest
